56. ROCAMBOLE.

Rocambole, Allium Scorodoprasum, is a hardy bulbous-rooted perennial plant, a native of Denmark. It has bulbs like Garlic, but the cloves are smaller. It is cultivated for the same purpose as that species, and is considered as having a more delicate flavour. Its cultivation is the same as for Garlic.

57. ROSEMARY.

Rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis, is an evergreen shrub, a native of the south of Europe, and was cultivated here in 1548. It yields, by distillation, a light pale essential oil of great fragrance, which is imparted to rectified spirit. It is said to be the principal ingredient in Hungary Water, and is drunk as tea for headaches, and by nervous persons. It prefers a lean dry soil, or rubbish of old buildings; and when it has established itself on a wall, will resist the greatest cold of our winters. It is propagated by cuttings or slips, in April, the same as other frutescent medicinal plants.

58. RUE.

Ruta graveolens, or Garden Rue, is a low evergreen shrub, a native of the south of Europe, and cultivated here in 1562. The leaves have a powerful unpleasant odour, and a hot, bitter nauseous taste. Medicinally, Rue is stimulant and antispasmodic. In modern practice, it is chiefly used in hysteria and flatulent colic.

It is propagated by slips in March or April, and will succeed in almost any soil or situation.

59. SAGE.

Salvia officinalis, is a low evergreen shrub, a native of the south of Europe, and cultivated here in 1597. There are several varieties, differing in the size, form,

and colour of the leaves. It was formerly in great repute in medicine as a sudorific, aromatic, astringent, and antiseptic. In cookery, it is used for sauces and stuffings for meats.

It is propagated by slips in March or April: the plants succeed in almost any soil and situation.

60. SALSAFY.

Tragopogon porrifolius, is a hardy biennial, a native of England. It has a long, tapering, fleshy, white root, which is used like Carrots or Parsnips, and cultivated in gardens for that purpose: the flavour of the root is mild and sweetish: dressed like asparagus, there is some resemblance in taste.

The seed requires to be sown in April, in an open part of the garden; and when the plants are three or four inches high, they should be thinned out to eight or nine inches distance from each other.

61. SAVORY. ·

Savory has been cultivated as a culinary aromatic from time immemorial, and much more formerly than now, when almost all European spices are superseded by those of the East Indies: there are two sorts cultivated in our gardens:

1. Summer Savory.

Satureja hortensis.

2. Winter Savory.
Satureja montana.

The first is an annual plant, a native of Italy, and cultivated in 1652.

The second sort is a dwarf evergreen shrub, a native of the south of Europe, and cultivated about the same period.

The former is sown annually in April, on a warm border, with other annual potherbs: the latter must be propagated by dividing the plant, in March or April :

it is also propagated by sowing the seeds, which are annually imported with those of other aromatic pot-herbs.

62. SAVOYS.

The Savoy, Brassica oleracea, var. sabauda, is a Winter Cabbage, the best and staple supply from November to March: it is distinguished from all other varieties of firm-headed cabbages, by the roughness of its leaves : there are four varieties, viz. :

1. Dwarf Savoy.

2. Globe.

3. Large Green.
4. Yellow.

These will be noticed further, under the head of WINTER GReens.

63. SCORZONERA.

Scorzonera hispanica, or Garden Scorzonera, is a perennial plant, a native of Spain, and was cultivated with us in 1576.

The root is carrot-shaped, about the thickness of one's finger, tapering gradually to a fine point. The outer rind is scraped off, and the root, like that of Salsafy, steeped in vinegar, in order to abstract its bitter flavour. It is then boiled or stewed in the manner of Carrots or Parsnips. The roots are fit for use in October, and continue good till the following spring.

Its management is the same as that of Salsafy; for although the plant is a perennial in Spain, its seeds are sown annually, the same as that plant.

64. SCURVY-GRASS.

Cochlearia officinalis, or common Scurvy-grass, is a hardy annual, a native of Britain. It has powerful medical properties, is antiscorbutic, and stimulating to the digestive organs.

The seeds should be sown upon a cool moist bed or border, in April; and when the plants appear, they will require no further trouble than to keep them clean from weeds.

65. SEA KALE.

Crambe Maritima, or Sea Kale, is a hardy perennial, a native of various parts of the shores of Britain. The plant has not long been introduced into public use as a dinner vegetable.

Mr. Loudon says, 66 Jones, of Chelsea, assured the late Mr. Curtis that he saw bundles of it, in a cultivated state, exposed for sale in Chichester market in 1753." About the year 1767, it was cultivated by Dr. Lettsom, at Grove Hill, and by him brought into general notice in the neighbourhood of London. Sea Kale is a choice and delicate vegetable, is of the most ready culture, and bears forcing remarkably well. Its seeds should be sown in March or April, thinly, upon a bed in an open part of the garden, keeping the plants clean from weeds through the summer. In the following spring they should be taken up carefully, and, shortening the roots to eight or nine inches, they should be planted out in rows, on good, well-trenched ground, in rows four feet apart, and the plants at eighteen inches' distance from each other, placing the crowns of the roots two inches below the surface. This may be considered as a regular distance for the crop: but a smaller-sized root may be planted between each of the others, as an intermediate plant, which will increase the crop for the first two or three years, without injuring the rest; afterwards they may be removed, leaving the original number at eighteen inches apart.

At the end of the first year after planting out, the heads may be forced, by means of large pots being placed over the crowns, and covered with hot dung.

P P

It should be observed, that immediately on cutting the forced heads, they should be brought to a level with the surface of the ground; or else, in the course of a few years, the roots will form their crowns so high, that it will be necessary to earth them up, to preserve them from the effects of severe frost. Should young plants not be at hand when a new plantation is required to be made, cuttings from the roots of the old plants, of two or three inches in length, will answer the purpose equally as well as plants; for every inch of root will grow, if planted near the surface; and the stronger these pieces are, the stronger will be the plants at the end of the year.

66. SHALLOTS.

Allium Ascalonicum, or common Shallot, is a hardy perennial plant, a native of Palestine, and more immediately of Ascalon and the adjacent parts. It was cultivated in this country in 1548. The bulbs are compound, like those of Garlic. The Shallot is used to flavour beef-steaks, and is introduced into India pickle as a substitute for Garlic. The method of cultivating the Shallot has generally been by planting the roots in drills, and earthing them up as the plants advanced in height; but Mr. Knight has suggested a mode of surface-planting, by which he has succeeded in growing very fine bulbs. It is thus described :—" He places a rich soil beneath the roots, and raises the mould on each side to support them till they become firmly rooted. This mould is then removed by the hoe, and watered from the rose of a watering-pot, and the bulbs, in consequence, are placed wholly out of the ground. The growth of these plants," he adds, "now so closely resembled that of the common Onion, as not to be readily distinguished from it, till the irregularity of form, resulting from the numerous germs within each bulb, became conspicuous.